Even in Death
by morlea
Summary: Ichigo dies, Renji's broken, and Necromancers show up. What happens to a spirtit when they try to summon it, but it's to bound to a certain person...?


_Thanks for all you've done_

_I've missed you for so long_

_I can't believe you're gone_

_You still live in me_

_I feel you in the wind_

_You guide me constantly_

Men don't cry, but real men do. Some cry when their child is born or when they get married. They could cry when something bad happened because only real men cry with a real reason.

Abarai Renji had a real reason to have lonely tears slip from the corners of his eyes. His face stood impassive still, and the tears moved slowly. Some people would say they were there from a big yawn, or perhaps some dirt in the brown/reddish orbs. If you knew the man better though, you would see how lonely but mostly how _empty_ his eyes were, his face harder then usual just to make sure he wouldn't break down fully His lover would not have wanted that.

_I never knew what it was to be alone, no_

_Cause you were always there for me_

_You were always there waiting_

_And now I'll come home and I miss your face so_

_Smiling down on me_

_I close my eyes to see_

A red rose, just one. Renji lay it down on the coffin, a small sob escaping him.

He lay the flower down there where the hearth would have been. Passion, which was the meaning. Ichigo was so full of passion. Passion not only for Renji, but also for his family and dear friends.

The funeral was how Kurosaki Ichigo would have wanted it. Not sad, just his loved ones talking about him, the good and the bad memories.

The only thing bad was Renji, the man truly was destroyed. He felt so guilty about so many things, for not having said I love you enough times, for just taking Ichigo for granted, that he would just always be there. For not having made love enough times. There were so many things he wanted to say to the orange haired teen and now he couldn't, Ichigo was gone.

It was time to speak, Isshin and Karin had already said there words, mostly thanking the people that had come for coming, that was what Isshin had said. Karin had forced herself not to cry, she had talked about what role Ichigo had played in there lives. Yuzu was crying too much to be able to talk, so she didn't.

Renji would be the last one to speak, and then everybody could say goodbye and Ichigo's coffin would be buried. With this only Renji and Ichigo's family would be there. So the rest would say goodbye after Renji had finished his speech.

"It was only 2 months, but I'd give anything to get those moments back. The moments with him, I'll harbour them forever."

Renji had to pause there and take a deep breath.

"I loved him more then anything or anybody before and I don't think I'll ever get over him or love somebody else as deeply."

Renji paused again, this time he let out a soft sob and whipped away his tears.

"But I'll try, because Ichigo would have wanted that. You all have to move on and get on with you're lives. We all must dot hat, for Ichigo. Let this be the last thing we'll do for him."

Renji walked back to his seat close to the coffin and watched everybody except the Kurosaki family walk passed the coffin and say goodbye. The final song played.

_And I know you're a part of me_

_And it's your song that sets me free_

_I sing it while I feel I can't hold on_

_I sing tonight cause it comforts me_

Renji had to leave as Ichigo's coffin went into the ground. The redhead wouldn't be able to control himself. He wanted to scream, wanted to cry. He was angry; he wanted to yell at Ichigo, open up the coffin to shake him awake. Reality hit him during the funeral. Ichigo was really gone, he would never come back. Renji would never hold him again, would never talk to him again. Never kiss him or tease him. Never fight or play with his lover. Renji couldn't 'take that so he left to return when everybody had left.

He kneeled down and let a finger trace Ichigo's name on the grave stone. His fingers fell down and stroked the velvet leaves of the red rose on the grave. The redhead looked up at the sky again and tears began to well up in his eyes.

"Why!? Just fucking tell me why!"

Renji cried out, glaring at the clouds. It wasn't fair! Why Ichigo!? HE hadn't deserved this, always the protector, the number one guardian. It hadn't been any different this time. He hadn't ever seen that girl before. Bright blue eyes and blond hair. The stereotype girl. Ichigo had jumped right in when they wanted to gang up and rape her. The girl was saved at leased that had happened.

Ichigo was strong but not faster or stronger than bullets. 2 in his chest, one of those piercing his lungs, the other getting stuck in one of Ichigo's ribs. 3 bullets had missed their targets and one had hit the orange haired man in his stomach, causing lots of internal bleedings. 6 bullets 3 hit the target.

How did Renji know this? It wasn't something the police told the lover of the victim.

How did he know that the ambulance was on time but that there wasn't much they could do? Ichigo had died in the ambulance.

Renji was a detective and through his connections he heard that his lover had been killed. In the report was one strange thing, according to the nurse in the ambulance right after Ichigo had passed away all the electrical machines had freaked, anything on electricity had freaked. But no damage after they calmed down and were checked out.

Renji clutched the necklace in his right hand. It had been Ichigo's and Isshin had given it to Renji. It was a bright silver start, small and simple. The only thing left from Renji's light, this star was the only thing left.

_I carry things that remind me of you_

_In loving memory of_

_The one that was so true_

_You were ask kind as you could be_

_And even though you're gone_

_You still mean the world to me_

"I'll get them for this Ichigo…" The redhead whispered. "I swear I will!" Renji cried out into the air, tears sliding down his cheeks again.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Fast footsteps echoing through the stone hallway. The grey walls seemed to glow lightly from the torches on the wall.

The cemetery hall smelled of death, the scent only getting stronger as the necromancer got closer to the graveyard.

"Full moon. Finally I'll be able to take a new soul. The last one was really weak. NO I won't take a criminal again, their minds are weak. I need a strong one, it's so tiring needing to find a new one every month."

She spoke to herself, letting her eyes wander over the grave stones.

On the other side of the graveyard the bushes parted to let through another necromancer. A tall man stood there, his dark eyes locking on the small women. His black hair moved in the wind before a hand reached up to put it back behind an ear.

"Rukia."

He spoke, his steps quick while his attitude was demanding, strong.

"Nii-sama!"

Rukia looked up, a small smile upon her lips.

"You didn't have to come. I can do it on my own."

Kuchiki Byakuya stopped as he stood next to her, he himself looking over the graves.

"I know that, Rukia, I'm here for my own reasons."

Both went quiet then, standing in the wind. Rukia staring of into space while Byakuya actually looked for good spirits.

Byakuya eventually moved away from Rukia, striding towards one of the older graves.

"I'll go first."

He said as he stood in frond of the gravestone. Hmm, this woman died 20 year ago, age…40. Its spiritual pressure felt good. Yoko was her name, the man's lips curled up a bit. That was all he needed to know. Ale fingers became visible as a silken glove was peeled off and a pink glow came from Byakuya as his summoning tool materialized.

Rukia couldn't help but smile as she saw him draw the sword gracefully. Everything about him was graceful and controlled the girl mused.

Byakuya searched through his pockets until he found what he was looking for. Rukia couldn't help but feel jealous. She could only control one soul at the same time and only summon them during the full moon. Her step-brother could control six souls at the same time and he could summon whenever he wanted! After her pout and her looking away Rukia pulled her gaze back up to the raven haired man.

"Chire Senbonsakure"

Rukia was amazed by the he kept his voice so neutral. The male's sword shattered into thousand shiny sakura petals.

After a few seconds all the sword parts seemed to have disappeared and after a minute four large grey columns rose up from the ground around the grave stone. Small chains were hanging from them. That was the time that the sakura petals returned, at high speed circling around all four columns. After four minutes they slowed down and slowly floated to the ground, revealing a body, well to be more exact a spirit. A woman completely transparent, her eyes big and white tear tracks down her cheeks.

Byakuya reformed his sword before lifting his left hand. It began to glow the same pinkish as the sakura petals had been and after a moment he pulled away, turning around as he let his summoning tool disappear again. As he did this the columns began to slide back into the ground. He ignored the women's cry and moved to stand next to Rukia again.

The small raven haired girl opened her mouth to speak but Byakuya raised a finger to silence her. He then slipped the small pink ball inside his pocket. The pink colour wasn't real pink, it seemed to be floating and had a bit of a white glow to it.

It was an empty soul ball. If it was filled then you could see a silver white something float inside it. This is called the essence of the human soul. These balls were the way to summon the collected soul and use it until it was called back or released. Or until it died of course.

"She wasn't of any use for me."

Rukia nodded, understanding why he didn't summon the women completely. She wasn't useful, even if her spiritual energy had been okay, she was full of hatred, and they couldn't not use her.

Rukia looked back up at the moon before returning her gaze to the graveyard. Then she knew what to do, never had she tried this and it would probably take a lot of her to accomplish it, but from what she'd heard it would be wroth it. Summoning a soul that recently had passed away.

It wasn't hard to locate the newest graves. The plants that had been planted were new and most weren't blooming yet, the decorations were flashy and clean. One particular grave caught her eyes though.

The grave stone looked like a polished black nature stone and the letters of the name and messages were engraved into it.

Kurosaki Ichigo.

Number one Guardian.

Forever in our hearths.

There was what seemed a rose planted in the ground and a single rose flower laid there on the grave.

It was decided, Rukia would collect this one. She stretched out her hand and focussed. The necromancer wasn't prepared for what happened next though.

She was thrown back and catched by her brother, who had moved quickly after sensing that enormous amount of Reiatsu. Her eyes were wide and stood scared, the energy had not only been of huge amount, the rage she could detect in it…made her shiver and want to crawl away.

She was panting as Byakuya lifted her up to her feet, his look a bit worried.

"Summon it."

Rukia nodded and walked back up to the grave, a strong wind had picked up now and the air felt icy cold.

Rukia collected her energy and braced herself for what was to come. The girl glowed white as she summoned her tool. The blade looked simple but that was until she spoke.

"Mae, Sode no Shirayuki!"

The blade grew in length. The hilt, the guard and the ribbon attached to the hilt were all of pure white. They said that this sword was the most beautiful of all Zanpakutou's, Souls Slayers from origin, but now used to summon and catch a soul.

The moment she released her tool, a loud cry was heard and the same pillars as before appeared. The soul chained to it were much bigger, and connected to the soul already visible. It cried and yelled out in rage. Rukia swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"Some no mai, Tsukishiro!"

The ground below the soul started to glow, before a giant pillar of ice rose up, freezing the soul. Rukia sighed relieved, thinking that it was working and stuck her hand into her pocket to take a hold of her soul ball.

Then it happened, a loud shriek again and the ice was crumbling falling to reveal the rampaging soul. He was yanking at the chains and then suddenly two snapped. Roaring out louder the soul worked on the other two chains.

"Use your next dance"

Rukia was shaken awake by her brother's voice, looking over her shoulder at him before nodding and turning back to Ichigo.

"Tsugi no Mai, Hakuren!"

She pointed the blade towards the soul, a ripple of white that froze anything it touched coming from the tip.

This would work, this would calm it down.

But that wasn't true, a black red beam destroyed her dance and Rukia could only watch with big eyes as the soul ripped itself loose from the chains and destroyed the ice covered pillars.

It roared out again and time seemed to slow down as it lunged at Rukia, she raised her blade but it got broken by what seemed a claw as another one pierced her abdomen and flung her aside.

Byakuya was there though, catching her bloody and broken body in his arms, eyes never leaving the creature that was breaking loose.

This nearly never happened. The necromancers and there tools could hold down any soul. But this one...it had to have a great bound with somebody or something in the real world. Something or somebody worthy of going through immense pain of breaking free. And once they broke free, there wasn't much to do but to kill them. They wouldn't turn back, this one…Kurosaki Ichigo, was going on rampage, and he had claws and bone like material forming slowly on his body.

Soon he would not know who he was or what he did. He'd become a Hollow empty killing machine that had to be killed.

And then he was gone, just like the wind. He'd just vanished.

Byakuya didn't follow though, he'd have to take care of Rukia first, then track the monster down and kill it.

***

As a shockwave went through town, Abarai Renji woke up and sat up startled. He was certain he could feel Ichigo…he rubbed his tired eyes and took a deep breath

The redhead wasn't aware of the orange headed undead looking through his window.

_Renji…_

_His…Renji…_

_Forever…_

_Even in death._

I hope I'm still somewhat making sense….and that you guys understand it XD

Anyway, tell me what you think, and ask away if you don't understand it XD not that I thought it through all that much….

Anyway, it's late, and I'm gunna sleep soon…probably.


End file.
